The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde - UPDATED REVIEW

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde  Genre : Classics Blurb (on back of book) : Oscar Wilde’s only novel is the dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. In this celebrated work Wilde forged a devastating portrait of the effects of evil and debauchery on a young aesthete in late-19th-century England. Combining elements of the Gothic horror novel and decadent French fiction, the book centers on a striking premise: As Dorian Gray sinks into a life of crime and gross sensuality, his body retains perfect youth and vigor while his recently painted portrait grows day by day into a hideous record of evil, which he must keep hidden from the world. For over a century, this mesmerizing tale of horror and suspense has enjoyed wide popularity. It ranks as one of Wilde's most important creations and among the classic achievements of its kind. UPDATED REVIEW MY OPINION : ****** I would like to start out this review by stating that this is undoubtedly m...
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Reveal Me - Taherah Mafi

Amazon.com: Reveal Me (Shatter Me Novella Book 4) eBook: Mafi ...Reveal Me by Taherah Mafi
Genre: YA Dystopian

Blurb (on back of book): This fourth companion novella to Tahereh Mafi’s New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series is narrated by fan favorite character Kenji Kishimoto!
The explosive revelations in Defy Me have left readers reeling and desperate for answers. This fourth and final novella in the series will bring readers back to the world of the Shatter Me before the final novel installment hits shelves in winter 2020.

MY OPINION: ***

Theoretically, I should have loved this novella. It's yet another 70-page short novel told from Kenji's perspective, one of my favorite characters. However, there was just something about it that made it feel so different from what I was expecting and thus the mediocre rating.

Kenji was a completely different person in this novella. I understand that he obviously has emotions that he hides behind a mask of humor but this Kenji just seemed so unlike anything we have gotten to see from him thus far.

Kenji has finally been pushed to his breaking point and all of his rage and fear and sadness and confusion and hurt has come spilling out. He can't hide behind humor and jokes anymore. He has always been overlooked and pushed aside and nobody seems to care about his feelings in the slightest. In this novella, he seemed slightly unhinged and a bit manic at times and was only ever brought back to his normal self with the help of Nazeera.

I obviously understand that just because he seems happy doesn't mean that they truly are but in this book, it felt as though Kenji had lost his entire personality and what made Kenji Kenji. I would have liked to have seen even a glimpse of the sarcastic Kenji that we have all grown to love.

I loved the budding relationship between Kenji and Nazeera. I love how he is her only weakness. I love how he doesn't know how to navigate his newfound feelings for the beautiful and amazing woman that is Nazeera. I really hope they end up together in the finale and Kenji finally gets the love and happiness that he deserves.

I also love the friendship between Kenji and Juliette/Ella. They have such a powerful and unbreakable bond that only best friends can have. I would have liked to have seen more of that in this novella but seeing as it was only around 70 pages I suppose I understand that you can't fit everything into it.

I ADORE Kenji and Warner and how much they "fake-hate" each other when in reality they truly love each other (as friends). They really balance each other out and I loved that for them. I hope that their relationship can also develop in the last book.

I would recommend reading this novella if you're a fan of Kenji Kishimoto and want to see more of his deeper and emotional side.

Main Character: Kenji
Sidekick(s): Nazeera, Ella/Juliette, Aaron/Warner, etc
Villain(s): The Re-Establishment, being misunderstood, etc
Dystopian Elements: This was all set in a fictional universe.

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